What is the best time to visit Agafay desert ?
What is the Best Time to Visit Agafay Desert?
Marrakech has lots of hidden gems within the city itself but there is so much more in store if you step outside. The Agafay Desert is a one of a kind substitute to the more renowned Sahara Desert. What is the best time to visit Agafay desert?
But instead of the expected rolling dunes, Agafay is an enticing stone desert with a rugged beauty stretching across the horizon.
However, it is a must that you time your visit properly for you to appreciate its full beauty and splendour.
Hit the Sweet Spot from March to May
The months of spring is usually considered as the best and most pleasant time for visiting Agafay Desert. These months experience a warm but bearable weather with temperatures during the day hovering between 20°C to 30°C. It makes outdoor activities such as hiking, quad biking, and camel trekking a sheer delight instead of a challenge.
The mild climate during spring breathes life to the desert in the most subtle ways. Blooming wildflowers are seen in unexpected patches with the nearby High Atlas Mountains boasting traces of snow. All of these come together to create a gorgeous contrast against the sandy colors of the desert.
There are also smaller crowds of tourists during spring months compared to peak season to give visitors a more intimate experience. The landscape is enveloped in a cast of the soft light and golden glow of sunrise and sunset. These scenes create the ideal conditions not only for photography but also to simply soak in the beauty and silence of the place.
If you’re a culture buff, it is also the perfect time for you to explore and discover the local Berber villages dotting the landscape. There, you will learn more about the different traditional ways of life while sipping a warm cup of mint tea and talking to the locals.
Gorgeous Experiences from September to November
Don’t freak out if you miss out spring because autumn is also a great time to explore Agafay Desert. Summer’s intense heat starts waning in September and come October, the temperatures start settling comfortably at 25°C to 35°C. Warm days and cool nights make it the best time to gaze at the stars. Far from the city’s light pollution, Agafay Desert is an amazing spot to watch the night sky’s celestial wonders.
Peaceful Escape from December to February
Although most travelers avoid a winter visit to the desert, it is a peaceful time for exploring Agafay. Daytime temperatures are comfortably cool at about 15°C to 20°C. However, the chilly nights usually go below 10°C. Make sure you pack warm layers if you have plans to go camping. The desert is more remote during winter and almost meditative because of the smaller number of visitors.
A Hotter Affair from June to August
Only the brave dare visit Agafay Desert in the summer. Temperatures can reach more than 40°C during daytime so it’s difficult to engage in outdoor activities. It means that if you don’t mind the heat at all and you prefer to be in solitude, there are only a few tourists during these months. Good thing that there are still desert camps offering cooling pools and shaded retreats.
